Podcasts about christlikeness

This sermon delivers a sobering theological warning rooted in Proverbs 6:16–19, emphasizing that God not only loves but also hates specific sins, which He calls 'abominations.' The preacher underscores that modern cultural distortions of God—portrayed as universally loving without judgment—contradict Scripture and promote dangerous heresies found in popular religious media and literature. Central to the message is the necessity of a radical, supernatural spiritual rebirth, as only those born again can escape the corruption of the fallen heart and walk in righteousness. The sermon calls for a renewed commitment to biblical truth, moral clarity, and doctrinal purity, urging believers to reject worldly compromise, train their consciences through Scripture, and live with a constant awareness of divine judgment and grace. Ultimately, it calls for a life of continual repentance, growth in Christlikeness, and faithful separation from all that defiles the soul.

In this episode of the Iowa City Church Podcast, we continue our Our Church series by focusing on one of the most vital yet often misunderstood spiritual disciplines—repentance. Repentance isn't just a one-time decision to follow Jesus; it's a daily practice of turning our hearts back to Him so that His Spirit can shape us into His likeness. As followers of Jesus, we're called to holiness—a life set apart for God. That transformation happens as we regularly recognize our sin, confess it, and return to Christ's grace. In this message, we'll explore how repentance leads not to guilt or shame, but to renewal, restoration, and growth in Christlikeness.

At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to "Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, "that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort." As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/  

Send us a textWhat if the most loving church isn't the one that keeps you comfortable, but the one that calls you to grow up? We take that question straight into Ephesians 4 and uncover how Paul moves from soaring doctrine to gritty daily practice, showing why a real gospel culture requires humility, unity, and words that build rather than break.We start by naming the tension: church is hard because people are imperfect and preferences clash. Then we anchor the conversation in the story of Ephesus—an influential city shaped by power and idols—where Paul planted deep roots and wrote with a pastor's heart. From there we trace the arc of Ephesians: identity in Christ first, then a new way of life. That shift reframes everything. Unity stops being a vague ideal and becomes a practical choice. Maturity stops being a cliché and becomes the steady refusal to chase trends, gossip, and outrage.Together we walk through the commands that give a church its shape: put off the old self, tell the truth, don't let anger rot your heart, do honest work so you can share, and speak only what helps. We talk about accountability and church discipline as acts of love that protect people and restore trust. And we push back on the thin mantra “do what makes you happy,” trading it for a richer invitation—do what makes you holy. Along the way, we share a vision for a serving church: Scripture-centered, Spirit-led, visible in the community, welcoming to strugglers, celebrating baptisms, and committed to forming kids and students who follow Jesus with courage.If you're hungry for a church that stretches you toward Christlikeness—and a community that helps you die to selfishness and live for a bigger mission—this conversation is for you. Listen, share it with a friend, and tell us one place you feel called to grow. If it resonates, subscribe, leave a review, and help more people find the show.

Sometimes we bring the world's ambitions into the church, seeking influence or a position that gives us a sense of importance. Yet the first appointed ministry in the early church was the ministry of a servant, with the only true aspiration being to reflect Christ. In Stephen's example, we see how a servant's heart becomes the ground where genuine Christlikeness is formed and displayed, even unto his final moments.

SCRIPTURE: Acts 20-21 YOU CAN ALSO FIND KENNY'S MANUSCRIPT FOR THIS SERMON HERE!REFLECTION/DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:In Acts 20:22-24, Paul says he is “captive to the Spirit” and knows persecution awaits him in Jerusalem… yet he continues anyway. What might this teach us?The sermon contends that Christianity isn't about “outside-in” behavior modification but rather “inside-out” transformation. What's the difference between these two approaches to following Jesus? In what areas of your life might you be focusing too much on external behaviors rather than internal transformation?How does Paul's journey (particularly the way he handles the disagreements about what the Spirit is or is not calling him to do) demonstrate the difference between unity and uniformity in the Christian community?How do you typically handle disagreements with other Christians about important spiritual matters?The sermon identifies three key elements in Paul's life which contribute to his Christlikeness: radical humility, compassionate community, and being enraptured by the Gospel. Which of these do you find most challenging? Why?How might a shift from asking “What Would Jesus Do?” to “Who Does Jesus Say I Am?” change our approach to Christian living?What aspects of your identity in Christ do you struggle to fully believe or embrace?

The sermon centers on Philippians 3:12–14, emphasizing a lifelong pursuit of spiritual maturity and Christlikeness as the believer's singular focus. Drawing from Paul's example, it calls for a deliberate rejection of past failures, pride, and distractions—whether from personal sin, regret, or external trials—while pressing forward with unwavering determination toward the ultimate goal: conformity to Christ and the eternal reward of His presence. The message underscores the transformative power of divine forgiveness, the necessity of humility, and the importance of daily choice in forgiveness and faithfulness, all grounded in the atoning work of Jesus. It challenges believers to live with purpose, leaving behind the past, embracing sanctification, and remaining fixed on Christ as the ultimate prize, knowing that every life will one day be accounted for at His judgment seat.

Who or what is your measure of spiritual health and maturity? Sadly, far too many of us are being discipled by popular media or catchy slogans. On Equipped, discover the riches of going deeper in our quest for Christlikeness when Pastor J.T. English joins Chris Brooks with a fresh look at whole-church, whole-person discipleship. Featured resource:Deep Discipleship: How the Church Can Make Whole Disciples of Jesus by J.T. English November thank you gift:Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley Equipped with Chris Brooks is made possible through your support. To donate now, click here.

In this episode, our pastors explore the vital role of self-discipline in the Christian life and the pursuit of sanctification. Why is self-discipline difficult—even for pastors and leaders? What does the Bible mean by discipline, self-control, and self-denial? And how does God use these to shape us into Christlikeness? Through Scripture, practical analogies, and real-life challenges, the pastors discuss: • Why discipline is essential—not only for leaders, but for every believer • How true self-discipline is rooted in love for God and others • The transformative power of spiritual habits like prayer and Scripture • How discipline produces joy, peace, and spiritual fruit • What to do when you struggle or feel spiritually distracted • How to pursue consistent growth in following Jesus Click here to Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCenfIkvDIJa4Qb4WgsH8hkw?sub_confirmation=1 REDEEMING TRUTH MEDIA: http://redeemingtruthmedia.org/ Follow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/redeemerbibleaz/ For more information about Redeemer Bible Church in Gilbert, Arizona, or to help support this ministry, please visit us at https://www.redeemeraz.org Join our Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/redeemeraz Follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/redeemeraz Never miss a sermon, find our Redeeming Truth Podcast in your favorite player, and subscribe!

Christ Manifested in Us (1) (audio) David Eells - 11/5/25 A Manifestation is About to Take Place Abigail P. – 2/14/25 1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:  Word from the Lord: “I come in Flesh. This is a part of life that you must confess and come to terms with. I come in your flesh, yes in your hearts and minds but also in all parts of your flesh. Do you truly understand this? The ones that have spent many hours with Me meditating on My Word will understand and it is their job to turn you around. You will understand when the power and might from on high descends. These will be the misunderstood, the rejected in society, the illiterate and others who have had Me in their hearts but have not been known by the world. They will not turn against Me and will do My desire. They are NOT ashamed to speak My Name and call it how it is. These are My wise sheep that have followed Me. You will not know them unless you TRULY know My Voice. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. 1Pe 4:11  if any man speaketh, speaking as it were oracles of God They are about to come forth within weeks. They will stand before Me and bow at the sound of My Name. Do you know them? Will you see them for the humble servants that they have become? They are not flashy, smooth, and slick-talking prophets. They are humble servants who have copped a lot of abuse from the ‘churches.' THIS IS OVER My full power and anointing will be upon them in full display. Do not reject such ones. They have My Covering, they are Anointed and the devil knows this; he will try to attack them. Thus, be safe under the shelter of My Wings. The full anointing of My People will come forth and they will be radiant in a picture. You will be able to see them and the blessing I have poured out on them. They are My Chosen Few. Be My Anointed Child, with Grace and Endurance. That is all My Child 1Jn 4:3  and every spirit that confesseth not Jesus is not of God: and this is the spirit of the antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it cometh; and now it is in the world already.  Ephesians 3:16-17 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,  Joh 14:17  even the Spirit of truth: whom the world cannot receive; for it beholdeth him not, neither knoweth him: ye know him; for he abideth with you, and shall be in you.  Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creation waiteth for the revealing of the sons of God.    30-, 60- & 100-Fold Paths Anonymous - 10/25/2007 (David's notes in red) I saw three different groups of believers (star glory: 30-fold; moon glory: 60-fold; sun glory: 100-fold) and we had to decide which pathway we all wanted to take. There was a very huge boulder or rock, like what you see in a mountain. (Representing Jesus and the Kingdom of God.) There were three pathways to choose from to go to the other side. The first was to take a pathway around the rock, which looked fairly flat, on level sandy ground. This pathway looked off-white, exactly like the sand you see on some beaches. (This represents the easy way on the flesh and is not the crucified life and may not bear fruit much beyond 30-fold or star glory. It is from this place that many will fall away. This may represent the born-again in spirit, but not completely crucified in the soul, life. Many avoid fiery trials that burn up the flesh by not walking in the steps of Jesus. The garment for such an individual if they did not fall away would be off-white, reflecting their works. To many, the rock is too great to hope to walk on, reflecting their immature understanding of the Gospel and God's plan of recreating Christ in us. These choose the unstable, impure, off-white sand of man's traditions on which to stand. As Jesus said, the house on sand will fall.) The second path was to climb up that rock. The steps were carved out of the rock and it was a steep and high climb. (This represents walking in the steps already set in stone by the Word, which is also standing on the rock of Christ's Word. This will bear more fruit even to 60-fold or moon glory but some important things are not emphasized on this path.) The third path was to enter into a very narrow opening into that rock and walk down steep steps also carved out of the rock. (This is also standing on the rock in the steps of the Word. It suggests more the abiding in the cleft of the rock of safety by entering into Christ's suffering through death to self, spiritually beneath the earth. Through this method we can transverse the fullness of moon glory and enter 100-fold or Sun glory, Christlikeness.) We were all outside that rock, looking at these 3 paths and deciding which pathway to take. This place had grass and trees and was flourishing and not barren. The pathway into the rock was directly in front of us. The pathway climbing the rock was to my left (from the rock's perspective, it would have been right (representing those who walk more as sheep on Jesus' right) and the pathway going around the rock was to my right (from the rock's perspective, it would have been left (representing those who walk more as goats on Jesus' left). Both of these paths were detours to the straight pathway into the rock. (Which is God's perfect will -- His chosen path, which few will find.) We could view all believers taking the different pathways. The vast majority turned to my right (the rock's left) because that way seemed bright, flat and sure, which could be easily negotiated. (“There is a way that seemeth right unto man” but is really left unto God. Many are comfortable with the worldly “Christian” life where discipleship is considered unattainable, unnecessary or something that has passed away.) There were some turning to my left to climb the rock. Again it was bright and the steps seemed visibly carved out from the rock, though the ascent was very steep and the height was frightening. (This is the life of faith without the emphasis of the crucified life.) However, the pathway into the rock was not as visible as the pathway outside; it seemed the scariest. (Because it represents ‘self' being swallowed up by the life of Christ through death to the old man and walking by faith.) I saw one believer from my church wearing white, calling me to follow her. Most took the pathway around the rock, whilst there were very few people who climbed on top of the rock or went into the rock. (It is always a few who take the best paths.) The believer from my church started climbing the rock. I did not follow her but went into the rock. (We cannot follow others' individual path or that of the churches. God has a scriptural plan for each of us.) One could not see the steps before you -- you had to descend by faith, but as you descended, it got easier and I remember thinking that from the outside it looked like a difficult, narrow, dark and unknown pathway, but when you walk by faith, God's grace is sufficient to hold your footing in the steep descent. I felt tremendous confidence and joy whilst going on my journey; it was not scary. (The descent represents death to self, buried with Jesus. The more we die to self the easier life becomes because we have more of Christ and less of us.) This path was not taken by most people and the dream ended here. The two paths: to the right of the rock mountain and into the rock mountain. Both point out scriptural needs in our lives and paths in which the most glorious will major. The easy path of star glory is the one the greatest falling away will come from. (Rev.6:13) and the stars of the heaven fell unto the earth, as a fig tree casteth her unripe figs when she is shaken of a great wind. And (12:4) And his tail draweth the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth… When I shared this interpretation with [“Anonymous”] she had just received this confirmation from the Lord: “I too was told that this is the 30-fold pathway where a lot of people will fall.”   God's New Creation K. H.- 9/14/2008 (David's notes in red) The night before I had this dream, I was making my first plum cake. I watched my mom the last time she made it, and it was my turn to make it. To my amazement, God then used that knowledge in this dream: I saw these enormous hands with a large piece of dough in them, which the Spirit then let me know that I was seeing God's hands and that the dough represented each one of us. As the dream continued, I watched God add all the ingredients to the dough. He let me know that each ingredient represented the gifts, talents and abilities that He has equipped each one of us with to be used for His glory. He then showed me that from the beginning, He knew which ingredients each one of us needed and if one were to be left out, we would be incomplete. God then revealed to me that this is why it is so important for His saints to use everything that He has given them for His glory and purpose. After all the ingredients were added, God started kneading the dough in order to mold and shape it. As He shaped the piece of dough into a uniform ball of dough, the Spirit showed me that this represented God creating each one of us in His image, in His likeness. He then told me that this process of “kneading” began from the moment that He knit us in our mother's womb and would only be complete when we, the dough, surrendered all that it had to give for the uniform dough to be formed. I felt this represented us denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following the Lord. Then God began to roll the dough out on the baking sheet and began to place all of the plums in their ordained spots and He then took a step back and let it rise. The Spirit revealed to me that the rolled out dough represented the crushing of our old life, the plums represented the fruit from the trials, persecutions and sufferings we would go through as followers of Christ, and when God took a step back to let the dough rise that represented God allowing us to be tested in those trials, persecutions and sufferings so the leaven of the Word could do its work in us. (Leaven is used negatively in some parables, but in some it is the true Word of the Kingdom, as in Mat.13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal (spirit, soul, and body), till it was all leavened.) As the dough rose, some of the plums fell off, which the Spirit revealed that those fallen plums represented the times that we: do not glorify God with the ingredients He has equipped us with; do not glorify Him with the plums that He brings us through and/or do not allow Him to use the plums to bring us to our cross. After the plums fell off the dough, God pushed His hands down into the cake and placed each one of the plums back where they had been placed in the beginning. The Spirit then revealed to me that this represented us humbling ourselves before God, which then allowed Him to once again use all of the gifts, talents, abilities, trials, persecutions, and sufferings to glorify Himself in us. When I woke up I was in awe of what God had shown me and it touched me that He used something, like making a plum cake, that I knew how much love and work went into making. I was speechless! Praise God! I was then reminded of the scripture in Isaiah 64:8, which says But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.   Man-child Resurrects Fruit in the Wilderness E. D. - 11/22/2007 (David's notes in red) In a dream, David Eells called me and said he was coming to my area to visit the brethren. (David here represents the David Man-child reformers.) I called other friends and they told me that they knew because David had called them also; so we started calling everybody else and the word spread. We started getting calls from brethren we didn't even know from other states, asking if they could come too. The local fellowship decided to rent out a restored three-story mansion with many rooms to accommodate the brethren who were coming. When David arrived, he started teaching us in the main parlor of the mansion, where there must have been more than 50 adults (remember this 50), plus all their children. He taught us from the word all day long, and then David said, “I am very tired now and need to go to sleep”, so we showed him to his room. (This represents a lapse of time where the Man-child slept as Jesus did. He will awaken or come back in our day at the latter rain, as He said, for a marriage feast as we will see.) Back in the parlor, it occurred to us that we never offered David breakfast, lunch or dinner; so we knocked on his door and said that we were preparing a feast for him; would he like to attend? He said he would love to attend. So the group sent me to the grocery store to buy supplies. I went to the second story of the house, climbed out of the window onto the roof, and jumped to the ground; a drop of more than 25 feet, but I was not hurt. Then I went to a very large supermarket that was very white with bright lights, to buy all manner of breads, meats, and fruits and vegetables. As I went to the register to pay, I noticed a bottle of wine, and I thought in my head, “This one bottle of wine will be enough for 100 people”; (Jesus, the Man-child type, at the marriage feast, multiplied the wine, representing His blood or life.) so I bought it too, and returned to the mansion, walking through the front door. So the brethren made the feast and we all sat together, all the adults and their children and David Eells, each of us, all on throne-like chairs at a huge table; and we were eating and drinking and rejoicing in the Lord together. Then we all went to sleep for the night. (Feasting on the body and blood of Christ will bring us all to a sleep and awakening or a death and resurrection.) The next morning, David came into the parlor and said, “Greetings brethren”, but we all ignored him; we were huddled around the children, particularly around one child who was dying. Whose child it was, I don't know. Then someone said, “What was the point of the Lord sending you here if He's going to kill our children?” (This is almost a quote from the woman concerning Elijah resurrecting her son as we will see. He had prophesied this fruit to her and now it appeared he was taking him back.) David said, “It will not be so”. And I heard a voice that said, “I will bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him”. (The accusation to Elijah and David was wrong.) And David rushed over to the child, laid his hands on him, and prayed in tongues over the child. The rest of the parents repeated the same thing David did over their own children. The child revived and everybody was relieved. (A type of the Man-child resurrecting the fruit of the woman in the wilderness tribulation.) Then David said, “I hope you all have learned something through this. I have to go now, but I will return to you. (What did we learn? Jesus, the Man-child, left but will return in the corporate Man-child reformers to resurrect the woman Church's fruit.) Continue steadfast in prayer together”. We all said “Amen”. (Col.4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, watching therein with thanksgiving.) David here represents Elijah the Man-child who had spoken about a famine at the beginning of chapter 17, symbolizing the beginning of the tribulation seven years of famine interpreted by Joseph to pharaoh. 1 Kings 17:1 And Elijah the Tishbite, who was of the sojourners of Gilead, said unto Ahab, As Jehovah, the God of Israel, liveth, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, but according to my word. After this, during the famine, the widow woman fed Elijah in the first three years of the tribulation, just like the brethren in this dream fed David. The widow represents those whose apostate leadership is dead and they now follow the Man-child. Here, Elijah multiplied the meal and oil so that the widow had a continuous supply during the wilderness famine just as Jesus the Man-child multiplied the needs of the woman church in the wilderness. This is similar to E.D. thinking that the bottle of wine was going to stretch a long way to feed 100 people. Going through the second-story window to be fed represents 60-fold fruit. We are the house individually and corporately to be perfected: spirit - 30, soul - 60 (the second-story), and body -100. Then we see a very similar story concerning the resurrection of the children. Those who had blessed Elijah and David as types of the Man-child were blessed to have their fruit sustained in the famine, for as God said in the dream, “I will bless those who blessed him, and curse those who cursed him”. Verse 17 And it came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. 18 And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? thou art come unto me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son! (This is as in the dream above. Also, in these days the woman church has been born again with initial fruit that was lost under dead religious teachings.)19 And he said unto her, Give me thy son. And he took him out of her bosom, and carried him up into the chamber, where he abode, and laid him upon his own bed. (Bringing her fruit into the rest through the true gospel.) 20 And he cried unto Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah my God, hast thou also brought evil upon the widow with whom I sojourn, by slaying her son? 21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto Jehovah, and said, O Jehovah my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again. 22 And Jehovah hearkened unto the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived. 23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down out of the chamber into the house, and delivered him unto his mother; and Elijah said, See, thy son liveth. 24 And the woman said to Elijah, Now I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of Jehovah in thy mouth is truth. Both Elijah and David did not accept that the fruit of God's own would die during a famine of the Word. The proof that Elijah was “a man of God” was that he resurrected the widow's fruit during the famine. The verse after that chapter shows that after the widow's son was resurrected, the third year of a famine came. 1Ki.18:1 And it came to pass after many days, that the word of Jehovah came to Elijah, in the third year, saying, Go, show thyself unto Ahab; and I will send rain upon the earth. 2 And Elijah went to show himself unto Ahab. And the famine was sore in Samaria. At this time, Jezebel the harlot was killing the prophets, symbolizing the two witnesses, making this the coming second half of the tribulation. 4 for it was so, when Jezebel cut off the prophets of Jehovah, that Obadiah took a hundred prophets, and hid them by fifty in a cave, and fed them with bread and water. In this dream there was wine enough for 100 people but there were only 50 adults in that particular house. Notice the prophets were in two groups of fifty, symbolizing two witnesses. In the rest of this chapter, Ahab, king of the 10 apostate tribes (10-horned beast) was ridden by Jezebel the harlot, who had all the false prophets fed from her table. As the true woman of God fed the true prophets so the false woman fed the false prophets.   Resurrection Earthquakes Divide the Country Deb Horton - 11/19/2015 (David's notes in red) In my dream, I was warning people about a coming earthquake but they were pretty much ignoring me and really, I wasn't very urgent about it myself at that point. During the whole dream, I kept looking for a sign that the quake was imminent and the way I did that was by repeatedly going to a place “upstairs” somehow (Representing abiding in Heavenly places is to be abiding IN Christ Jesus where everything is provided, even revelation, as in this case. Eph.1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ:), and checking on the alignment of four flat slabs of concrete where they came together. (The four different slabs are the four groups who received the seed of the Sower, but only one brought forth fruit. We are supposed to be living stones. 1Pe.2:5 Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.) The concrete slabs were laid in a square and formed a square, like a sidewalk; (i.e., they were “foursquare”.) Rev.21:16 And the city (Which John said was the bride and whose head is the Man-child) lieth foursquare, and the length thereof is as great as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and the height thereof are equal. Each time I went “upstairs” to wherever it was I went, I looked at the center of the slabs where they came together in the middle and made an “X” or cross. (It was the cross where Jesus was lifted up. He said, “If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me”. The cross was their common union, the Church.) Finally, the last time I checked the center, I saw that one of the four slabs, the one at the top right, had raised up at the center just under ½ inch. Not the whole slab was raised, just the center of the slab, so that slab was now slightly canted at an angle. (The verse I received today actually fits with the center of the slab being raised up. Jer.31:6 ... Arise ye, and let us go up to Zion unto Jehovah our God.) That means the other three slabs were no longer foursquare (rejected from the Bride), but the slab that was raised up was the only part that was still a square. (A square is a standard for buildings like a chief corner stone and this city is a building that is being born from above like the bride and is a standard to the rest of the Church.) Word received: Gen.49:26 The blessings of thy father Have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors Unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills: They shall be on the head of Joseph, And on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren. (Joseph was a type of the Man-child ministry and was “raised up” as the head of the bride, as David was. Jesus was raised up as head of the bride. The highest of the right will rise above their brethren to be chosen. Jesus, as the Man-child type said, “If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me” - This happened when Jesus was crucified and died and then came the earthquake. The Man-child has been going through crucifixion for many years. Their resurrection to the throne and anointing is now near. When Jesus was resurrected, as a type of the Man-child reformers, a great earthquake happened. Mat. 28:1 Now late on the sabbath day, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled away the stone, and sat upon it.  I believe the great earthquake will be the New Madrid at the spiritual resurrection and anointing of the Man-child in whom Jesus lives by Word and Spirit.) Jesus is also the chief cornerstone. Eph.2:20 being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the chief corner stone; 1Pe.2:6 Because it is contained in scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone (the one raised up), elect, precious: And he that believeth on him shall not be put to shame. Many Christians do not yet believe on the Jesus of the Bible. As such, they are about to be put to shame. Jesus is the stone that the builders rejected and will once again be “lifted up,” like He is in the Man-child ministry coming now. Mat.21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner; This was from the Lord, And it is marvelous in our eyes? 1Pe.2:7 For you therefore that believe is the preciousness: but for such as disbelieve, The stone which the builders rejected, The same was made the head of the corner. As types, Moses, Joseph, David, and Jesus were persecuted by their own brethren and rejected by these builders and were lifted up to become their head.) That made me excited because now I knew that the quake was coming and that the slab was going to be raised up and completely separated from the others by the quake. (Our dreams and the Word have already told us the Lord will come manifested in the Man-child ministry by the latter rain and the transforming of the Word of God. And this will happen at the great earthquakes. The New Madrid will split the country but not as bad as has been prophesied because of God's mercy.) I ran downstairs and started telling people with great urgency, “This is it. You have to get ready. The quake is coming”. I think I also told people that there wasn't time to do more than grab a few things. (When the Man-child is anointed, it will be time to run to the wilderness tribulation behind Him.) Word received: Eph.3:14 For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, that ye may be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inward man; 17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; to the end that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may be strong to apprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled unto all the fulness of God. 1Ti.6:12 Fight the good fight of the faith, lay hold on the life eternal, whereunto thou wast called, and didst confess the good confession in the sight of many witnesses. But there still didn't seem to be many people who did more than look at me. (Few will have eyes to see or ears to hear but the things that come will get their attention. Their anointed ministry will bring attention.) I asked the Lord if the dream meant anything, for Him to give me an earthquake verse. Here's what I received by faith at random: Luk.23:48 And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts. (They saw the crucifixion of Jesus in this text and saw it as a travesty of justice and a shame to God's people. Exactly as in this text, this was the time of the rending of the veil of the temple in verse 45 and the earthquake. Mat.27:50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were rent. This death quake was a sign of the larger earthquake at the resurrection.) Here it is in context: Luk.23:44 And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour (the three hours of darkness which brings the quake), 45 the sun's light failing: and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. 46 And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost. Jesus said, “If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all men unto me” -This is where the earthquake happens and the great earthquake happens at the resurrection. 47 And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. 48 And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts. 49 And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed with him from Galilee, stood afar off, seeing these things.   I AM Your God of the Impossible Debbie Fenske 10/6/2025 Listen to Me, My children. I AM the God of the impossible. And I say to you, My children, called to be My highly anointed ones. All things you have learned from Me, and heard from My servant, David, things I have given him to speak and to do that have come to pass, and things I have given him to speak and to do, yet have not come to pass, are My doing, and My plan. I make no mistakes. Believe in Me! All that has come about, things that nominal and unbelieving Christians would not dare to believe, have all been My plans, even before the beginning of time. I AM your God who has chosen you, and many more, to hear and to receive and believe, to use you mightily in prayer and great spiritual warfare. Am I not the only God, the only God of the impossible? I Am your God who does things, allows things to be, and to take place all for My purposes for My Elect and My Kingdom, for My great Name. Things too impossible for the unbelieving, unregenerated mind to even receive. You know this is a war against Satan himself, our enemy. And all those he has taken over are as he is. Evil. Doing evil, corrupt and revolting deeds of darkness. But I see it all. And I reveal it all to those whom I choose to reveal it to. I have chosen to reveal it to David. And I have revealed it to you through him, My servant David. You must continue to have strong belief. Do not question. Take everything directly to prayer if you have an inkling of a question. Any questioning left open in reasoning of your mind is an open door for the enemy to answer you and to draw you away from all I have called you to be a part of, which is being by Me, and My true, worthy, holy and anointed Bride and Manchild on this earth, to fight with Me in this mighty end-time work in setting captives free, bringing many into My Eternal Kingdom. Stay in the realm of belief and faith in what I Am accomplishing right now. There is so much more. I know what I Am doing in this end-time scene. It is I Who moves Trump in all he has accomplished. And things that he has not been able to accomplish have not been by mistake. Nothing is by mistake with what I Am doing. Everything that I dictate to him to do, or to not do, is My plan. And everything I dictate to My servant, David, and move him to do, or to not do, is My plan, My voice to him. He has been faithful, allowing Me to be voice to him in so many ways. I Am not through with him yet. Nor am I through with Trump and all of his and our enemies. Right now, I've laid them wide open and bare, weaklings who think they are so strong. So, My children see all things with the end in view, being a part of the end in view, which is My Eternal Kingdom. You all are part of this end-time plan. Behold, I Am making all things new.

In our spiritual journey, we often grapple with the concept of sanctification - the process of our becoming more like Jesus Christ. This episode dives deep into 1 Thessalonians 5:23 and John 17:17, reminding us that sanctification is both God's work and our own cooperation. We are set apart by God for His purposes, yet we play an active role in this transformation of becoming more like Jesus as we spiritually mature. The truth of God's Word is our compass, guiding us towards holiness. As we navigate this path, we're encouraged to remember that it's a lifelong process. We may stumble, but what matters is our overall direction towards Christlikeness. Today's episode challenges us to examine our relationship with Scripture and our commitment to purifying ourselves, as mentioned in 1 John 3:3. It's a powerful call to live out our identity in Christ, moving beyond superficial distinctions and embracing our true calling as children of God.

Romans 12:9–16 Modeling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a "checklist" for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take center stage. Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide. Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts!

Discover the steps to growing in Christlikeness as Pastor Phil Hopper dives into Matthew 10, where Jesus calls His disciples to grow in spiritual maturity. Although no believers today are called to be apostles, all believers are called to live sent. Find encouragement and strength to face challenges as Jesus teaches about the cost of discipleship. Join Pastor Phil Hopper to learn what it truly means to follow Christ, grow in His likeness, and experience an abundant life through Him!Connect With Abundant Life Church:Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/abundantlifels/Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/abundantlifelsConnect with Pastor Phil:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilHopperKCInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/philhopper_kcBooks & Resources       https://livingproof.co/resources/booksListen to The Well Podcast ⤵Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5wadnywAMEK7c0E1qatMoY?si=SjH6Ko7VR3OoHrRy1yYLlQ&nd=1&dlsi=395ae55d95ac4b11Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-well/id1233267223YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLR50sV854C2hogfBmv7YogvCjiNYLz9a2Find Your Next Step:Learn more about the A-Life Discipleship Journey:  https://alife.livingproof.coWatch More Sermons: https://livingproof.co/sermonsDo you want to see your life changed by Jesus?Visit https://livingproof.co and find hope, purpose, and restoration in Him today. Connect with us on Social Media ↴Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abundantlifels/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abundantlifels Connect with Pastor Phil ↴Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilHopperKCInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/philhopper_kc/Web: https://livingproof.co/resources/books/Learn more about the A-Life Discipleship Journey: https://alife.livingproof.co/ More information on our sermons: https://livingproof.co/sermons/Do you want to see your life changed by Jesus? Visit our website: https://livingproof.co/

Modelling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a “checklist” for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take centre stage. Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide.Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts!

Modelling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a “checklist” for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take centre stage. Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide.Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts!

Modeling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a "checklist" for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take center stage.Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide.Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29

God calls His people to keep growing in faith and Christlikeness. This message unpacks what true spiritual growth looks like, how to recognize the Holy Spirit's work in your life, and how personal transformation leads to a thriving, mission-focused church.//NEXT STEPS: http://rockcity.churchPRAYER REQUESTS: https://rockcitychurch.tv/careGIVE: https://rockcitychurch.tv/give// Rock City Church has multiple locations throughout Columbus, Ohio. Whether you're spiritually restless, new at discovering who God is or you are a veteran of the faith, you are welcome here! //WEBSITE: https://rockcitychurch.tvFACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/rockcitychurchINSTAGRAM: https://instagram.com/rockcitychurch

At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to "Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, "that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort." As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/  

Romans 12:9–16 Modeling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a "checklist" for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take center stage. Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide. Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts!

Modelling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a “checklist” for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take centre stage. Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide.Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts!

Modelling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a “checklist” for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take centre stage. Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide.Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts!

Modeling a life well lived leaves one of the greatest legacies. In the final verses of Romans 12, Paul provides a "checklist" for pursuing Christlikeness and letting love take center stage.Learn with Pastor Chuck Swindoll the characteristics of love in action—what real love looks like using Christ as our example and guide.Let love define your life. Remember what truly lasts! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29

Dr. John Snyder continues the Letters that Continue to Speak series with John Newton's Letter 5. In this pastoral letter, Newton teaches how God uses trials to cultivate humility, Christlikeness, and dependence on Him alone. He warns that comforts can quietly divide our hearts, but through trials, Christ—the perfect Teacher—draws us back to Himself. Newton closes with four exhortations: gratitude for Christ as Teacher, attentiveness to daily lessons, obedience on the path of duty, and drawing strength from prayer and Scripture. This episode is a reminder that God's kindness is never absent, even in our hardest seasons.   You can read this week's letter here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/fifth-letter-to-mrs You can read next week's letter here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/sixth-letter-to-mrs Read all eight letters to Mrs. First Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/first-leter-to-mrs Second Letters to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/second-letter-to-mrs Third Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/third-letter-to-mrs Fourth Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/fourth-letter-to-mrs Fifth Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/fifth-letter-to-mrs- Sixth Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/sixth-letter-to-mrs Seventh Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/seventh-letter-to-mrs Eighth Letter to Mrs.: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/eighth-letter-to-mrs Watch all the episodes of this series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW0xuCgknPDMzuC301aRv8v3tga_psAcK What all Whole Counsel episodes: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW0xuCgknPDMtoTMNlcPdqOqkg0vuNlYG See Media Gratiae Original Project: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLW0xuCgknPDPqcYtQL-uT7Dx4OcprVlik

In today's episode, Pastor Matt Chandler brings us a sobering yet hopeful message for today's Church: courage without Christlikeness isn't courage at all. Too many leaders either retreat to avoid fallout or hide behind precision to avoid engagement. Both, Matt reminds us, abandon the flock in a culture desperate for truth and grace. Resources: You may also like Faithfulness Over Influence by Jon Tyson Create a free THINQ Account and download the THINQ Media app on your smart TV to access more trusted content like this on topics from all channels of culture at thinqmedia.com. Apply the THINQ Framework as you think through cultural topics. Attend THINQ events where you can gather with like-minded leaders, ask better questions and have conversations that lead to wisdom: Unlock the THINQ Summit 2025 All-Access Pass before it's released to the public Host a THINQ Family conversation series in your home:  Let's Talk Relationships Let's Talk Mental Health Let's Talk Tech Detox Let's Talk Civility More from the THINQ Podcast Network: Rhythms for Life with Rebekah and Gabe Lyons The InFormed Parent with Suzanne Phillips NextUp with Grant Skeldon NeuroFaith with Curt Thompson UnderCurrent with Gabe Lyons Now on YouTube! Subscribe, Like, and Share:  THINQ Media UnderCurrent with Gabe Lyons NextUp with Grant Skeldon Rhythms for Life with Rebekah and Gabe Lyons The InFormed Parent with Suzanne Phillips

Jesus' last words to the 11 remaining disciples was to “go and make disciples…baptizing them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded.” (Matt 28:18-20)Chapter 2 of Paul's letter reiterates this in his instructions that Titus teach sound doctrine within the context of relationships. Sound doctrine simply means teaching that aligns with all that Jesus taught and that promotes Christlikeness. Making disciples happens within relationships just as Jesus modeled with his own disciples. Here Paul expounds on this truth instructing men and women to encourage one another in behavior that honors God. As we study these passages on right living, it's vital we remember the foundational truth highlighted in our memory verse. It is by Grace alone that our lives are transformed and our ability to obey Jesus comes thru His power and not our own efforts.  During our sermon series studying Paul's letter to Titus we encourage you to memorize Titus 2:11-14. For this week continue to **work on memorizing Titus 2:12**, stacking it on 2:11For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, ---Titus 2:11-12------Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Titus 2:1-8

At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to "Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, "that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort." As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness. https://redeemerwichita.church/  

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Remember to practice Christlikeness because the return of Christ has been confirmed by Scripture.

This sermon presents a passionate call to cultivate godliness through consistent, intentional engagement with Scripture, drawing from Psalm 119:9–16 as a foundational guide. It emphasizes that God's Word is not merely ancient text but living, authoritative truth that sanctifies, transforms, and protects believers from sin and spiritual drift. The preacher outlines eight practical steps—protecting one's path, pursuing God with wholehearted passion, hiding Scripture in the heart, praising God for His revelation, proclaiming His Word, valuing it above all earthly riches, meditating on it continually, and delighting in it with joy—each rooted in the conviction that Scripture alone is sufficient for spiritual growth and moral direction. With a tone that is both pastoral and urgent, the message warns against substituting God's Word with worldly wisdom, entertainment, or cultural trends, urging the church to return to Scripture as the ultimate source of guidance, identity, and sanctification. Ultimately, the sermon affirms that true Christian maturity is marked by a life anchored in God's Word, where the conscience is captive to its truth and the believer is continually shaped into Christlikeness.

In today's episode, Jenny welcome Pastor Eris Pappas. Eris explore the profound themes of faith, transformation, and the essence of Christianity beyond merely a worldview. The discussion dives into the importance of living a divine life, the call to Christlikeness, and the transformative power of communion. Eris emphasizes that Christianity is not just a set of beliefs but an invitation to participate in a deeper relationship with God, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own spiritual journeys and the daily choices that lead to a life animated by the Spirit.

In today's episode, Jenny welcome Pastor Eris Pappas. Eris explore the profound themes of faith, transformation, and the essence of Christianity beyond merely a worldview. The discussion dives into the importance of living a divine life, the call to Christlikeness, and the transformative power of communion. Eris emphasizes that Christianity is not just a set of beliefs but an invitation to participate in a deeper relationship with God, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own spiritual journeys and the daily choices that lead to a life animated by the Spirit.

Writing isn't just about words on a page — it's one of the ways God shapes our hearts. In this episode, I explore how the writing life can become a tool for spiritual growth, particularly in developing perseverance.Whether you're growing a platform, finishing a manuscript, or facing rejection from an agent, perseverance is an essential part of both the writer's journey and the Christian walk. I share personal confessions about my own struggle to stick with hard things, remind us of what Scripture says about endurance, and offer practical ways to strengthen your “grit muscles” — one small step at a time.In This Episode, You'll Learn:* Why writing can be a powerful means of growing in Christlike character* What the Bible teaches about perseverance and endurance* How to discern your role versus God's role in developing spiritual fruit* Practical ways to practice perseverance in your writing life* When it might actually be time to let go and move on from a projectWhat small act of perseverance are you taking this week? If you're a Substack subscriber, share your answer in the comments — let's encourage each other as we grow in endurance and Christlikeness through our writing.The Purposeful Pen is a weekly podcast for Christian writers designed to help you build a writing life with eternal impact. Each week you'll hear practical tips and Biblical truth on topics such as improving your writing, honing your message, and managing your time. I always respond to listener emails and I'd love to hear from you! Amysimon@amylynnsimon.com This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amylynnsimon.substack.com

In this message, Pastor Brandon unpacks Matthew 5:33–48 and shows how kingdom living sometimes looks like losing now—but it's actually trading up forever. Jesus calls us to radical honesty, refusal to retaliate, open-handed generosity, and love for enemies. Each choice may seem like a worldly disadvantage, yet heaven's ledger records it as eternal gain (Matthew 5:12; 6:19–21). Key Points • Truthfulness (vv. 33–37): Let your "Yes" be yes—no spin, just integrity before God. • Non-retaliation (vv. 38–42): "Turn the other cheek." Strength under control reflects the King. • Generosity (v. 42): Give and lend without calculating payback; trust the Father to repay. • Enemy-love (vv. 43–48): Pray for those who oppose you—showing the family resemblance to your Father in heaven. Why it Matters Choosing truth over image, mercy over payback, and generosity over self-protection may cost you now—but Christ promises greater reward and deeper Christlikeness that lasts forever. Call to Action If this message encouraged you, please like, share, and subscribe. Comment below: Where is Jesus calling you to "lose" now for eternal gain?

In this message, Pastor Brandon unpacks Matthew 5:33–48 and shows how kingdom living sometimes looks like losing now—but it's actually trading up forever. Jesus calls us to radical honesty, refusal to retaliate, open-handed generosity, and love for enemies. Each choice may seem like a worldly disadvantage, yet heaven's ledger records it as eternal gain (Matthew 5:12; 6:19–21). Key Points • Truthfulness (vv. 33–37): Let your “Yes” be yes—no spin, just integrity before God. • Non-retaliation (vv. 38–42): “Turn the other cheek.” Strength under control reflects the King. • Generosity (v. 42): Give and lend without calculating payback; trust the Father to repay. • Enemy-love (vv. 43–48): Pray for those who oppose you—showing the family resemblance to your Father in heaven. Why it Matters Choosing truth over image, mercy over payback, and generosity over self-protection may cost you now—but Christ promises greater reward and deeper Christlikeness that lasts forever. Call to Action If this message encouraged you, please like, share, and subscribe. Comment below: Where is Jesus calling you to “lose” now for eternal gain?

The Bridegroom is coming—and the time to prepare is now. True preparation means prioritizing the oil—the life of the Spirit within you. The oil will cost you something, but it's worth everything. God is calling us to be vigilant and full-time followers of Christ, not part-time Christians. The enemy doesn't need to make you sin—just distracted. Don't let your sleep become ruin; let it be rest in faith. The promise should never outweigh the Promise Giver. God's goal isn't comfort but Christlikeness. The time to sow into the Kingdom isn't someday—it's today.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

The Bridegroom is coming—and the time to prepare is now. True preparation means prioritizing the oil—the life of the Spirit within you. The oil will cost you something, but it's worth everything. God is calling us to be vigilant and full-time followers of Christ, not part-time Christians. The enemy doesn't need to make you sin—just distracted. Don't let your sleep become ruin; let it be rest in faith. The promise should never outweigh the Promise Giver. God's goal isn't comfort but Christlikeness. The time to sow into the Kingdom isn't someday—it's today.This is the official Facebook and YouTube channel of Champion Christian Center. Our mission is to love God, reach the one, and change the world. Through Bible-based sermons and devotionals, you'll learn how to understand the Word of God, fulfill God's plan for your life, and make a positive impact on the world around you. If you are local, we would love to meet you in person! We are located in Washington, PA and led by Pastors Nathan and Joie Miller.For more life changing resources, visit us at www.championcenter.com.Subscribe to our YouTube channel:/ @championcenter1To give online:https://pushpay.com/g/championchristiancenter——Champion Christian Center Facebook:/ championccenterChampion Christian Center Instagram:@championccenter

What does it look like to truly live for Christ in everyday life? In this episode, we explore Philippians 2:19-30, where the Apostle Paul highlights three individuals—Timothy, Epaphroditus, and himself—who model authentic gospel character. Their lives reveal three essential marks of what it means to follow Jesus with your whole heart.Discover why gospel character is selfless in service, faithful in struggles, and honors those who serve like Christ. Whether you're navigating a difficult season, wondering how to serve others better, or simply wanting to grow in Christlikeness, this message will challenge and encourage you.IN THIS EPISODE:The difference between selfless service and self-centered livingHow Timothy genuinely cared about others' welfare (Philippians 2:20-21)Why Epaphroditus' near-death experience reveals faithful gospel characterWhat it means to persevere when ministry becomes costlyWhy we must honor those who sacrifice for Christ's missionDr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s perspective on true characterPractical ways to develop gospel character in your daily lifeKEY SCRIPTURES EXPLORED:Philippians 1:21 (NIV)Philippians 2:19-30 (NLT)Mark 10:42-45 (NLT)2 Corinthians 4:8-10 (NLT)Romans 12:9-10 (NLT)REFLECTION QUESTIONS:Who in your life models genuine, selfless care for others like Timothy did?When have you faced a costly situation where you had to choose between comfort and faithfulness?Who in your church or community deserves honor for their Christ-like service?Which of the three marks of gospel character do you most need to develop right now?NEXT STEPS:✅ Identify one person you can serve this week without expecting anything in return ✅ Thank someone who has modeled sacrificial service in your life ✅ Commit to remaining faithful in whatever struggle you're currently facing ✅ Subscribe to Weekend Messages at Grand Point Church for more biblical teachingFEATURED QUOTE:"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. The true neighbor will risk his position, his prestige, and even his life for the welfare of others." - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.CONNECT WITH GRAND POINT CHURCH:Website: grandpoint.churchFacebook: www.facebook.com/grandpointchurchInstagram: @grandpointchurchGive: grandpoint.church/give/ways-to-give/SUBSCRIBE & REVIEW:If this message encouraged you, please subscribe to Weekend Messages at Grand Point Church on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review. Your feedback helps others discover practical, biblical teaching for everyday life.Available on: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are found.TAGS: #Philippians #GospelCharacter #ChristianLiving #ChurchPodcast #BibleTeaching #SelflessService #FaithfulInStruggles #ToLiveIsChrist #WeekendMessage #SpiritualGrowth #BiblicalWisdom #ChristianPodcast #FaithPodcast #ChurchSermonConnect with us at www.grandpoint.church/nextstepsWatch online on YouTubeFollow us on Facebook and InstagramSign up for our free weekly newsletter

At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness.  https://redeemerwichita.church/  

The sermon centers on Jesus' radical command to love enemies, do good to haters, bless those who curse, and pray for those who spitefully use us, presenting these actions not as optional suggestions but as the defining mark of a Christ follower. Rooted in the belief that true obedience begins with listening to God's Word, the message challenges believers to reject the world's cycle of retaliation and hatred, instead emulating God's mercy toward the unthankful and evil. It emphasizes that Christlikeness is not measured by popularity or worldly success, but by faithfulness in living out extreme grace, which results in a transformed identity as mature children of God and a future reward that transcends earthly recognition. The call is to live differently—not for the world's approval, but as imitators of a Father who is kind to the ungrateful, urging believers to prioritize eternal rewards over immediate peace or vindication.

By its nature, the gospel transforms a dead human being into a living child of God. Over a lifetime, Christians are meant to gradually display the power of God as He changes their life and matures them to Christlikeness. But obedience doesn't stop at the moment of salvation. It continues for eternity. As we continue the year of Gospel Focus in this episode, Pastor Philip Jackson reminds us in Hebrews 5 and 6 that healthy Christians mature and reproduce themselves for the glory of God. If we want to put Jesus on display, it will require total submission to the commands of Christ.Get Connected! https://linktr.ee/reachtulsa

Summary: In this episode, Dr. Michael Easley and Ken Ham have a candid conversation about faith, leadership, and navigating criticism. Together, they wrestle with the tension between personal responsibility, pure motives, and God's sovereignty—asking whether decisions truly glorify God or sometimes serve our own ambitions. Looking at biblical examples like Nehemiah, they explore the difference between bold faith and foolish presumption, and how leaders can step forward with courage while staying grounded in humility. Ken Ham shares personal stories of how God shaped his calling, from his early burdens to the building of the Creation Museum and Ark Encounter. He reflects on how criticism—especially from within the church—has tested but refined him, and how he's learned to measure faithfulness not by approval but by obedience to God's Word. Dr. Easley and Ham also highlight the importance of wise mentors, compassionate leadership, and learning to speak truth with both authority and grace. This conversation is a reminder that while opposition is inevitable, God uses it to strengthen our faith. Whether in ministry, family, or personal decisions, we're called to stand firm on God's Word, lead with humility, and trust that He will use us for His glory. Takeaways Leadership requires balancing humility with tenacity. Nehemiah models boldness rooted in God's glory, not self-promotion. True faith often looks like risk against conventional wisdom. Criticism—even from within the church—can refine character. Wise mentors help leaders grow in Christlikeness. God calls us to bold obedience, tempered with compassion. Links Mentioned Answers in Genesis The Creation Museum Miraculous by Ken Ham Watch the highlights and full version of this interview on our Youtube channel. For more inContext interviews, click here.

Michael and Gianna welcome Evangelist, Pierre Saget, to discuss recent controversies in the national news and how and when churches should address such events. They emphasize the need for churches to prepare and form their congregations for difficult conversations before they happen.   00:00 Introduction and banter02:01 Rapture Predictions and Their Impact08:46 Discussing Charlie Kirk and Church Responses14:11 The Importance of Community in Church28:59 Understanding Our Mission as a Church31:17 Navigating Political Perspectives in the Church34:37 The Role of the Church in Politics36:43 Understanding Our Identity as a Nation of God37:57 Equipping the Church for Political Engagement41:49 Identifying Truth in the Age of Misinformation46:41 Addressing Religious Political Movements51:22 Recognizing the Powers and Authorities at Work54:55 Discernment Between Rhetoric and Christlikeness

Christian maturity is revealed in Christlike concern for others and Christlike sacrifice for the sake of the gospel.

In this series, we will be exploring the mission and vision we believe God is inviting Journey Church into in the upcoming years. Week four is about the third part of our vision: Inviting all people into a Spirit-led journey of transformation into Christlikeness.Sermon by Pastor Scott Edinger

At Redeemer, our pathway is how we seek to embody our vision and mission, or in other words, put it into practice. We desire every person to enter into intentional apprenticeship to Jesus, to be in a diverse, loving community, and to live in Wichita as witnesses. “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men and women into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that, all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself, are simply a waste of time. God became man for no other purpose.” – CS Lewis At Redeemer, we take seriously Jesus' call to “Go and make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Apprenticeship to Jesus is not a one time decision, but a lifelong journey of following Jesus as our master-teacher. Since the goal of the Christian life is maturity in Jesus, apprenticeship must be deep and holistic, transforming the spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and vocational parts of men and women. Apprenticeship to Jesus is learning to practice the way of Jesus in our homes, relationships, neighborhoods, and jobs. We believe Christlikeness is cultivated as we implement spiritual practices, live in community with other believers, and submit to the Word and the Spirit. We agree with Dallas Willard who said, “that the gospel is opposed to earning, not effort.” As we move towards cultivating a life of loving God and people, we trust Christ will mature us into his likeness.  https://redeemerwichita.church/  

SERMON IN A SENTENCE: Confirm your calling by practicing Christlikeness.

Send us a textWhat changes a life more - an argument or an open table? In this episode, Lisa sits down with Tre' Giles to explore his powerful journey from rebellious youth in Colorado Springs to Christlikeness, shaped by radical hospitality, authentic mentorship, and the transformative power of being truly seen and heard. Through stories of mentors who welcomed him in, professors who recognized his potential, and encounters in West Africa that taught humility, Tre paints a picture of faith that is rooted not in certainty but in openness, empathy, and belonging. His storytelling is rich with quotes and lived wisdom that will leave you both challenged and inspired.Tre Giles: National Director of Campus Engagement at Alpha USA.Contact Info:Website: https://alphausa.orgInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/trelgiles

Psalm 119:67, which says, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.”   *Transcription Below*   Doug Rumbold is a child of the living God, a loving husband to Jessica, and father to Jada, Oliver, and Pierce. Currently he is the Pastor of Counseling & Discipleship at Northfield Christian Fellowship where he has pastored since 2006. He desires for others to be transformed into Christlikeness through authentic relationships. He holds a biblical counseling certificate from CCEF, a Bachelor's in Youth Ministry/ Adolescent Studies, and a Master's of Ministry in Theology.   Connect with Doug on Instagram, Facebook, or schedule a counseling session through his website or order Doug's Book.   Presence over Pain Podcast When did you experienced your first major loss? What are the three types of suffering you see laid out in the Bible? Will you share one of your conversations with the Lord where He responded with alliteration?   Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here)   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”   Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”   Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 1:38) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.    I want to say a huge thank you to today's sponsors for this episode, Chick-fil-A East Peoria, and Savvy Sauce Charities.   Are you interested in a free college education for you or someone you know? Stay tuned for details coming later in this episode from today's sponsor, Chick-fil-A, East Peoria. You can also visit their website today at https://www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/il/east-peoria.    Doug Rumbold is my guest today. He is a pastor of counseling and discipleship, and he has recently written a book entitled Presence Over Pain. With Doug's biblical foundation and his sense of humor, he's now going to share some personal stories of suffering and God's continued faithfulness.   He illustrates how a yearness of God is oftentimes born through trial. So, regardless of what each of us are walking through today, Doug's going to remind us that we have the opportunity to turn toward Christ. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Doug.   Doug Rumbold: (1:39 - 1:42) It's exciting to be here, even virtually.   Laura Dugger: (1:42 - 2:02) Well, and its always kind of special to have a local friend join me as a guest on the podcast. But for those who don't know you yet, I think it would be really helpful to hear your story and gain some context around what led you to write this book. So, will you just begin by sharing your story with us?   Doug Rumbold: (2:03 - 6:09) Yeah, I love stories in general. I think when I look at Scripture, three-quarters of it, roughly, is a narrative. It's a story.   And so, God's heart for story is just critical, even in His communication of truth and His love for us. So, it means everybody's story matters. So, my little story matters.   And I think mine's an interesting one. To begin with, I was born and raised in Morton, Illinois. And I was born the seventh of eight children.   So, my parent's kind of did this, like, unbelievable quantity of births in a short amount of time. I'm not a woman, so I don't understand how this works. But I assume that having eight children in 10 years is crazy.   And they somehow managed to do that. So, I grew up in a loving Christian home. My dad was a phenomenal example of intention and direct when it came to conflict, merciful and forgiving when it needed to be called upon.   My mom was and still is somebody who she could have a conversation with anyone. I love my mom, her ability to just dive deep into conversation. I remember my college years.   My friends from college would actually love to come home to be with my parents, which is kind of odd. A bunch of college guys like, “Hey, can we come back from the big city of Chicago and go hang with your parents in the farm town?” Sure.   Yeah, enjoy. So, I grew up seventh of eight. My oldest sister passed away before I was born at the age of four.   She was actually buried on her fourth birthday, sadly. She passed away from leukemia. And then my youngest brother passed away my freshman year of college, which I talk about in the book a little bit.   So, for all of my growing up years, there were seven of us, not eight. And then the family just kind of continued to expand. Everybody eventually got married and had children.   And now on my side of the family, there's 35 grandkids. So, those are like pre-Medicaid type family backgrounds. You know, like you get together and everybody's going to take a Tylenol before because it's gonna be nice and loud and crazy.   But I would say from just a believing perspective at eight years old, I remember being in the basement of my church in Morton. My Sunday school teacher just giving a really compelling description, not just of how like, oh, you're going to burn, but more of a what does it look like to be separated from God for eternity? What might that be like?   And I was terrified but also had enough of these people pleasing mentality that I also didn't want to be the person who asked another question and held the class up. So, later on, I found out that it was easier for me to have that conversation. I think my mom discovered me kind of in tears, maybe even later that day.   And it was like, I don't think I know Jesus. And she's like, well, we can like, let's have a conversation. What's that look like?   And let's pray together. And so, at eight was when that became a reality in my life. And then really at 15 years old, coming home from a mission trip to Mexico, I ended up having just an awesome experience there and got baptized by a minister from our church.   His name was Dwayne. He was awesome. And then as I think through just, I mean, I mentioned it already, our family is really well acquainted with loss.   My oldest sister, my youngest brother, and then just some of our ongoing journey. My wife has an ongoing illness that requires a lot. It is a challenge for sure for her.   And then I think all of that kind of balls up together to frame a lot of where the content from my book comes from. Just living a life of non-ease has really kind of brought me to this place of if it's not going to go away or if it hasn't been taken away, what is it that sustains and how do I move through it and past it?   Laura Dugger: (6:09 - 6:32) And I definitely want to hear more elements of the book. But first, I'm just thinking through this. You said seven of eight and your youngest brother and you all are close in age.   So, to bring us into your story further, what age were you when you suffered that major loss of your brother and how did he pass away?   Doug Rumbold: (6:32 - 9:06) Yeah, that's a great question. So, my parents had all of us in 10 years. So, in 1969, they were married.   1970 is when they started cranking out children. And then 1980 was when my brother after me was born. And then it was 1997.   So, it's actually Halloween night of 1997. So, I was a freshman in college. I just moved away.   This was before cell phones. It's almost hard to imagine. But I was lying in my bed at night.   And my brother, my other brother, Ed, was at college with me as well as my sister, Jennifer, in the West suburbs in Elgin. And my brother tried to contact me because Ben had been in a car accident. So, he had been taking a walk with this girl he was getting to know.   And we live out in the country in Morton. So, you'll recognize these road names just because we're local. But if you know Tennessee, Tennessee and Harding, there's that intersection.   And my family grew up on Harding. But going down Tennessee Avenue, going north, a gentleman who actually ended up being our neighbor was coming over top of the hill. And he was changing a cassette tape, also a relic of the past.   And he was changing the cassette tape. And my brother was walking on the side of the road with traffic. So, his back was to oncoming traffic.   And the car struck him from behind. And he was essentially and effectively dead at the scene, but kind of for the benefit. And I will talk about this in the book a little bit.   The benefit of us, my other two siblings and I in Chicago, they, you know, rushed him straight to the hospital and then put him on life support. But he never had brain activity or anything from the moment that he arrived at the hospital till the following morning. We were asked, you know, how we wanted to continue.   And probably in the hardest decision that I've watched my dad make was to pull the power cord on life support. I mean, my dad was all about responsibility and he wasn't going to let somebody else do that. And my dad was also very quick in his ability to make a decision, even if the decision was hard.   And so, he just knew this was not, you know, technically Ben could have survived on life support. But he would have none of the vitality that he had had his entire 17 years prior. And so, that just was not an option.   Laura Dugger: (9:07 - 9:29) Goodness, Doug, I can't imagine that's one of those decisions you hope to never have to make as a parent. And then with your family grieving this sudden loss and then also working through forgiveness of a neighbor. What did that look like?   Doug Rumbold: (9:30 - 14:14) That's actually one of the most redeeming. I mean, again, God does this where he just kind of the Genesis 50 moment where it's like what the devil intended for harm. God meant for good.   And I remember his name was Mark. He's since passed. It happened in 97.   And I remember him coming to the door, you know, how people come to your house, and they provide condolences after a loss. And so, Ben was well known at high school. He worked with special needs children and was in the performing arts.   And so, he was just really well liked. And so, there was a high school kid. So, there's a steady stream of people coming, grieving kids, all that.   And I remember coming back from college and I remember not saying, I literally did not say a word for three days. My way of processing then was very inward. And so, I just remember being very silent.   I should correct myself. I didn't say a word other than what I'm about to tell you. Mark came to the house and Mark was in his mid-40s at the time.   And he was crushed. I mean, can you imagine what that would be like? And so, he shows up at the house.   And as he's coming up to the door, I remember my dad saying he pulls all of us kids aside. He says, “I want to tell you something. Mark is here.   He's coming up to the door. And right now, you have a choice. Forgiveness is never about how you feel.   It's about obedience. If you will forgive him now, I promise you will never struggle with bitterness toward him in this way. But it is an act of your will.   You must choose to forgive. But I'm not going to make you do so, like if you don't want to forgive him, that's fine. But I'm telling you right now, forgiveness is key.”   And I remember walking out to the door and greeting Mark and just giving him a hug and then looking at him in the eyes as a 19-year-old freshman in college and saying, “hey, Mark, I've done what you've done 100 times. You know, I've swerved off the side of the road. And so, I just want to let you know, I hold no ill will against you, and I completely forgive you.”   And he didn't really know what to say, just kind of mumbled some level of gratitude, I think. But it was kind of quiet. I had no idea the power in that moment that was happening where I was not bound to hold it against him.   And my dad was right. How many years are we removed from this? And I still had I never once thought, oh, what a jerk.   I can't believe you. I never struggled with anger toward God over the loss of my brother. These were things that I think could have happened had I held on to not being forgiven and not released Mark from that.   And probably the greater redemption happened over the years where over the next seven years, he would see my parents or my family around town, and he would always kind of hang his head. And my dad would always make it a point to say hi and to try to contact him and be kind. But Mark was just sullen, and it was difficult.   And then later on, Mark ended up having a pretty aggressive form of cancer. And by this point, my wife and I got married in January before. And I'll never forget.   We went to Carolina Beach. We lived in North Carolina at the time for just a quick getaway, the two of us. And we were coming back.   And on the drive back, I remember receiving a call from my dad and he's crying on the phone. He says, “Well, Mark just passed away.” And he goes, “but before he did, he invited your mother and I up to his hospital room.”   And when we walked in the room, he looked at me, he said, “Gary, I have I have often wondered why and how. Why would you forgive me? How did you muster the strength to do such a thing?”   And my dad, in his simplicity or whatever, was like, “Well, it's easy. I've you know, I've been forgiven. Do you know how much I've done?   Do you know what hurt I've caused other people?” And he says, “It's only natural that I should forgive you for what happened. It wasn't your intention.   Jesus forgave me. And so, I forgive you. Just real simple.”   And in that moment, Mark then began to ask what motivates. And my dad got to explain a relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, literally on his deathbed, just prior to passing, Mark turned his heart over to the Lord.   I mean, it was awesome. And so, just such a powerful story of forgiveness.   Laura Dugger: (14:16 - 19:48) And now a brief message from our sponsor. Did you know you can go to college tuition free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Yes, you heard that right.   Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing are immediately eligible for a free college education through Point University. Point University is a fully accredited private Christian college located in West Point, Georgia.   This online self-paced program includes 13 associates degrees, 17 bachelor's degrees and two master's programs, including an MBA. College courses are fully transferable both in and out of this program. This could even be a great option to complete your general education courses and then transfer to the college of your choice and save money in the process.   So, if you're looking for an affordable college option while simultaneously gaining valuable work experience and earning an income, Chick-fil-A East Peoria is the place for you. You don't have to go into debt to get a great education. To apply today, please go to https://www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/il/east-peoria and click on the career tab. You can also call the restaurant at 309-694-1044 to find out more. And if you aren't located near Chick-fil-A East Peoria, make sure you check with your local Chick-fil-A restaurant to see if they also participate in the Elevate program with Point University. Thanks for your sponsorship.   Are you utilizing Savvy Sauce Charities to full capacity? Other than our special Patreon release episodes, our content is now available in video form in addition to our audio only. And we have written transcriptions for every episode.   Visit our website today, thesavvysauce.com, to access all these forms of interviews. And while you're there, make sure you sign up for our email list to receive encouragement, questions, and recommended resources about once a month to promote your own practical chats for intentional living. I also want to remind you about the financial side of Savvy Sauce Charities.   As you know, we recently became a non-profit, which means all your financial support is now tax deductible. There are multiple ways to give, and we would be so honored if you would share your financial support with us so that we can continue producing free content that is accessible to the general public. Your money will go to support creatively getting the gospel message of Jesus Christ to the nations as we continue to share the good news on every episode.   And I say this is reaching the nations because The Savvy Sauce podcast is downloaded in all 50 United States as well as over 100 countries around the world. Your financial support also supports practical needs such as aiding our team to continue producing helpful content that is practical and uplifting and always pointing to Jesus. Your financial support furthermore will help us continue to expand our reach and secure future projects we have planned for this ministry.   If your ears are hearing this message right now, I am specifically asking you to give. We are so grateful for any amount, and our team will continue to seek to be good stewards of the gifts offered to us. So, if you want to write a check or set up an ongoing payment with your bank that delivers a check to us each month, this is the most beneficial way to give because no percentages are taken out for processing fees.   You can make your check-out to Savvy Sauce Charities at P.O. Box 101 Roanoke, Illinois 61561. Additionally, with our new website, we now have a donate button. There are processing fees that we cover for these donations, but we wanted to offer listeners a seamless way to share their finances with us when we share our content with them.   So, just visit thesavvysauce.com and find the donate page under the tab support. Another way to find it is simply type in donate to the search bar on our website and just click the first picture shown. We are all about sharing around here, sharing resources, sharing joy and sharing the good news about Jesus Christ.   We ask that you also will share by sharing financially, sharing The Savvy Sauce podcast episodes, and sharing a five-star rating and review. You can also share any of our social media posts on Instagram or Facebook. We are grateful for all of it, and we just love partnering together with you.   Now, back to the show. What are the three types of suffering you see laid out in the Bible?   Doug Rumbold: (19:50 - 21:29) Yeah, I'm not a theologian by any stretch, and so I'm sure I might be missing some. But I think when I look at all of Scripture, I guess I just kind of come away with three different forms of suffering. I see the first one that you kind of come across is the most poignant one is the suffering of Job.   Here's somebody who didn't do anything wrong, and he experiences catastrophic pain. So, the suffering that God allows in his sovereignty is the first form. The second one is the suffering that I caused.   Now, obviously, this is the one we first confront in Scripture, in the narrative. We see it in Genesis 3. But the story that most poignantly points this out to me is the story of David and Bathsheba.   Here's a king who has everything he needs and wants, and he should be out protecting and defending his kingdom. And instead, he's on his rooftop looking and taking what is not his. And so, there's suffering that I cause.   My pastor in college used to say, “You choose to sin, you choose to suffer.” And I think it's an apt description. And then the third form of suffering is the suffering that my faith brings.   I think about the apostles where they are called in by the council and arrested and beaten and told not to speak in the name. And what do they do? They walk out rejoicing, like, yes, we've been counted worthy to suffer.   Like, yeah, that's so different than the American version of Christianity at the present moment. We don't necessarily think that way. So, in short order, the suffering that God allows in his sovereignty, the suffering I cause in my sin, and the suffering my faith brings with persecution would be the three.   Laura Dugger: (21:30 - 21:42) Well, and I loved one of your quotes where you write, the earnest desire of my heart is that you come to understand the presence of God in and through suffering, no matter its cause.   Doug Rumbold: (21:43 - 22:03) Well, when I think about that, think of your own life, Laura. When you go back through ever since you just you surrendered your heart to Jesus, can you point to where were the deepest learning moments for you? What do you think? How would you answer that question?   Laura Dugger: (22:04 - 22:26) I do feel like I may be an anomaly here because some of it is from those seasons of grief or searing loss. But also, I would say in the really good times, the gratitude and joy that he provides, those have been some of my greatest leaps in faith.   Doug Rumbold: (22:28 - 24:32) Yeah, I think that's huge. I think it's one of those reasons why you see in Scripture this idea of we're supposed to be people who are thanking God even through our suffering. I think it's that rhythm or that habit of gratitude that can transform even what may appear hard or difficult.   In the book, that quote that you just read, I think comes from this idea that God communicates his presence to us in different ways because of the form of suffering or hardship that we're facing. If I'm somebody who is suffering because of what God has allowed, I look at the idea of our daughter with cancer, for example, and I think, okay, the hardship that she faced, it would not make sense for her to frame her life and her hardship with suffering in terms of confession and forgiveness of sin. She didn't sin to get sick.   And so, the idea of how God's going to communicate his presence to her in the suffering that he allows is more about what does it mean to endure with patience and joy? How does she endure hardship with patience and joy? In those ways, in that way, rather, I think that's how God begins to communicate his presence to her.   His nearness to her means he's not far because something is wrong with her and she needs to be discarded. It's more that he is quite near, and it's the recognition of that. It's this like my heart can be glossed over by the pain I'm facing, whether God allows it, I cause it, or my faith brings it.   It can be glossed over if I have an inward curve, if I have like this inward turn of sin and I can miss. How does God want to communicate his presence to me through this? I think that overall, most of us focus more on the suffering that we're experiencing at times than we do on God's provided presence.   Laura Dugger: (24:33 - 24:54) And that reminds me of something else where you later write about Psalm 119:67, which says, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word.” So, Doug, how did you experience the truth of this scripture through your experience with your daughter Jada?   Doug Rumbold: (24:56 - 27:57) Yeah, I think probably the safest and quickest description is pain has a way of getting our attention. Like your toe is just fine when you're walking to the kitchen at 2:00 a.m. to grab a drink of water and go back to bed. And then your toe makes its presence known when you kick the chair, right?   And you're like, oh, and then you're acutely aware of it. You know, you go back to bed and it's throbbing. You might put some ice on it.   Now it's cold. And pain is like that where it gets my attention when it's hit. And so, I was not aware, I don't think, of the depth of my self-reliance until every bit of control was removed from me.   So, particularly when I think of Jada's challenge, you know that before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word. There's this mercy in suffering that says ever so slightly, we are people who easily turn to ourselves and our resources before we will turn to God. My wife would say it this way, and I agree with her.   I think it's an excellent understanding of parenting. We both view parenting as a form of stewardship. So, if I get paid, which I do, you know, for my work as a pastor, I get paid, I steward that money.   It's not my money. The Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills, right? So, if he owns everything, he owns even the finances that are put into my back pocket.   And the way that I steward it is the degree to which I am surrendered to him. And so, parenting is like that. God has given you the currency of children, and you have children that you are to steward back to God as an offering to him.   And my wife would say this, I just didn't know. I'm supposed to lay them down every day before the feet of God in full reliance and trust that he is a better parent than I will ever be. What happened in particular with our daughter showed how quickly we will take them back again, how quickly we will be people who will say, “Oh, well, I actually think I can make a better decision here than the Lord will.”   We would never say that out loud, but our control and our actions will illustrate that every day. It's one of the reasons why it's so easy to get offended when your kid sins against you. It's one of the reasons why it's so easy to be overwhelmed when your kid is far from you.   We can get to a place where though we are to steward our children back to God, like finances given to us, like children given to us, there's this idea we are supposed to be stewards. And so, I learned that I went astray from God. And I still do every day.   It's a thousand opportunities to return to him. Does that make sense or am I talking crazy?   Laura Dugger: (27:58 - 28:24) No, that makes that makes sense. And even I think you're talking about something probably a lot of us are relating to as parents of certain times where we really grasp we are not in control. So, will you even take us to that day where that first became a realization for you? Because you're a parent of I believe she was a five-year-old at the time. Is that right?   Doug Rumbold: (28:25 - 37:11) Yes, that day was awful. I would never want to repeat it. Jessica had it's not really a day, but a kind of a progression from kind of like a Thanksgiving time frame until January.   So, the short order is my wife was pregnant with our youngest and her date for delivery was supposed to be right after January 1st, because I remember thinking, are you kidding me? I'm going to miss the cutoff for claiming this dependent. And anyway, Thanksgiving, we had gone down to visit some dear friends of ours.   So, a shout out to John and Katrina. I'm sure they'll listen to this who live in Oklahoma. It's where I did my internship in college on like this orphan boys ranch.   It was awesome. I loved it and grew a great friendship with them. So, we were down there visiting them.   And my wife has this gallbladder attack. And the way she describes it, she felt like she was dying. And of course, she didn't wake me up because, you know, women can apparently experience pain and not make a big deal of it.   Men, that doesn't work. So, there's definitely a gender difference there. And so, she realizes as she's homeschooling Jada, this is not tenable.   I can't keep this up, especially if I'm going to have a child and everything. And so, we decided, oh, no big deal. We'll have just come back from our trip and decided we were going to put Jada in public school just for the last part of kindergarten.   And Jessica was going to give birth to the child and hopefully get the treatment that she needed because we took an ultrasound, and they discovered a bunch of gallstones. And it was rough. And so, we get back, and we go to the school, get the forms.   And basically, it was just filling out a couple of forms. Oh, yes. A bunch of check marks here, and a bunch of check marks there.   Get the dental form and all that. You need one last thing that we can't just sign away. You need to do a quick physical.   Now, Jada was feeling great doing everything. You know, all of her markers were fine. We go to a doctor from our church at the Tremont Medical Clinic and he performed just a simple physical.   And Jada was, you know, everything was just fine. And as he's palpating around her stomach, he's just kind of pressing there. And I don't know how doctors do this where they, you know, press on your stomach and they're like, OK, your organs are in the right place.   OK, I trust you. So, his face, like his countenance, just shifted. And Jessica and I were both in the room and he just kind of looks at me because I just can't reconcile this.   But to rule anything out, we're just going to have her get an ultrasound and be on our way. I remember thinking I had a hernia when I was young, maybe six months or something. I can't remember how old I was.   And so, Jessica and I went home that night and I mean, we were shedding tears like, oh, my goodness. Our sweet daughter has a hernia. Can't believe it.   What does this mean? She's going to have surgery, all this stuff. And never were we prepared for what happened next.   You know, the next morning she wakes up, and she takes Jada and Oliver, who's two at the time, to get the ultrasound in Peoria at a place called Peoria Imaging. And I stayed home. I was writing a sermon.   So, I'm sitting there working on a sermon from Mark, Chapter eight. And Jessica goes and I'm not hearing from her. I'm not hearing from her.   And then about three hours later, I got a call and she's like, so, they did an ultrasound and then they did like another one. And then they ordered a CT, and they just got done with the CT. And she goes and I just looked out in the waiting room and it's full and nobody's coming in.   And now they said that she needs an MRI. And I'm like, “What?” This doesn't seem like a hernia.   And she said, “Honey, I just asked the nurse, and they won't commit.” “Like they won't say anything,” I asked.   I kept asking if it's a hernia. And finally, I just asked one of the nurses, “Is it bad?” And the nurse said, “That she thinks it's significant.”   And I'm like, oh. And I remember that day then calling my dad or my parents and just kind of giving them updates along the way. Like, okay, you know, Jay is going in for a quick ultrasound, probably a hernia.   But then I remember calling my dad and my dad's on the phone with me right after I got off with Jess. And I just said, “So, it went from just a quick ultrasound to CT to an MRI.” And I said, “They just finished the MRI or they're in process.”   And they said, “That after the MRI, they want to send her to the hospital for blood work.” And my dad's only response was, “Oh, boy. I mean, it was just like,” and his voice quivered.   You know, the quiver of like the I don't know if I'm ready for this sort of quiver. And I can only imagine what's going through his head, having already lost two children and particularly one to cancer. He knows that feeling.   So, the day only got longer from there. I got a ride over there with my sister-in-law to Puri Imaging. And then we went to the hospital together and had to get blood drawn and all that stuff.   And that's a whole story in and of itself, the trauma of that for her. But I remember leaving the hospital and Jessica and I know at this point with the full weight of this is not a hernia, but we still don't have answers. Like every time I'm asking a question to a doctor or a nurse, they are deferring and deferring and deferring.   And my anger internally is kind of growing. And so, I'm a little, I'm not aggressive, but I'm assertive. And I remember driving away from OSF in Peoria.   And as we're driving away, Jade is just in the back seat looking out the window. And Jessica and I are in the front seat, just crying, but trying to hold it together, you know. And I look in my rearview mirror.   I'm like, “Hey, sweetie.” And she's like, “Yeah.” “Like, what are you thinking about?”   She goes well. I just can't decide what smoothie I want at Smoothie King. That was the day where they, you know, the scan that she had to have was an NPO, which means she can't have any food or liquid unless it's clear.   And so, she was starving. And at this point it was like 6:30 at night. So, she's super hungry.   And so, we went to the first location and the second location. They were all closed between Christmas and New Year's. So, no Smoothie King for her.   And that was the last time we remember eating at McDonald's as a family. And then that night the diagnosis finally came. We got back home.   We were home for 10 minutes. And we received a call from what ended up being her surgeon from Illinois Medical Clinic. And we were asked to come back into an after-hours appointment, which those are never good.   And so, we walk in the door. We sit down. There's not even a secretary.   The lights in the building are off. We were walking down this hallway to this last, you know, exam room. And Jada is just sitting there on the table.   Jessica is about ready to pop pregnancy-wise. And the doctor walks in and says, so, I assume you know why you're here. And I said, actually, we haven't been able to get a straight answer.   And we have no idea what's happening. And she goes, are you kidding me? She's like, I have to be the one to tell you this, that your daughter has kidney cancer.   And I think the thing that caught me was Jessica sitting on a chair kind of at the foot of the exam table. And instinctively, I mean, it was like it wasn't even – it was no coaching. There was no – Jada just kind of crumbled and her body just kind of fell onto Jess.   And Jess's mom has walked through cancer twice. And so, Jessica has lived this journey as well, just the difficulty of it. And so, for her, she's just like I know what this required of me when my mom had it.   And I had to take care of her when I was in junior high and then again when I was in college. And now I'm pregnant and now my daughter has cancer. It was unreal.   And then I wrote about it in the book, but the walk from the front door to the van where Jada's face was buried in my neck. And the warmth of her tears and just her body just kind of melted into mine as we're walking back to the van. And it's like I never want to forget that because the usefulness of it, how helpful it is for me to recall some things, to live in that place of like this is what you redeem, this is what you restore.   But it was hard as heck. And so, that would be what I remember from the day of diagnosis.   Laura Dugger: (37:13 - 37:26) It is so hard to imagine what that would look like to get that news. And I'm just wondering for you and Jess, what did your faith look like and what were your conversations like with the Lord at that point?   Doug Rumbold: (37:29 - 39:10) You know, I – because of the loss of my brother earlier, I don't – I mean that's a great question. And I don't mean this how it might sound or come across, but my faith was never – I don't think that my faith was an issue in terms of am I still going to cling to Jesus. It was just more of a – it was just – it was so hard.   I really wish I had words for it. I talk about this in another podcast that I did. I remember just feeling so overwhelmed and more of a feeling like we were treading water in the middle of an ocean.   And someone – you're like begging for a life raft and they hand you a cinder block. And you're like, not helpful. So, my faith, our conversations with the Lord, they were hard, and we were certainly super sad.   My wife would probably talk about how she was broken and quiet and learning afresh what it means to surrender. But she is methodical and consistent in her pursuit of the Lord and extremely faithful. And so, hers was sitting in solitude and just waiting and cry and lament and work through it all and then come out the other side stronger.   I process things a little bit more verbally. But I think our faith was strong. We were just shattered for the pain that she was experiencing for sure.   Laura Dugger: (39:11 - 39:35) That's a great way of putting it. And just like He promises, I have spoken – Mark and I have talked with you and Jess before. And you've shared how God continued to be an ever-present help in these times of trouble.   But will you share one of your conversations with the Lord where he responded to you with alliteration?   Doug Rumbold: (39:35 - 45:50) Yeah, the one that I think of is – and I write about it a little bit in my book. But I just remember thinking kind of two questions that I would ask. One was right after Pierce was born and we obviously weren't having any sleep.   So, if you look at the timeline, Jada was diagnosed on the 30th of December. The 2nd of January was Jessica and my anniversary. The 3rd was Jada's surgery.   The 10th was when her pathology came back. And the diagnosis went from 95, 98% cure rate, survival rate just fine to like 40 to 60% survival rate. And a different stage of cancer and the size of the tumor was much larger than they originally anticipated.   And so, we came home that night from the pathology report and wept and wept and wept. And then Jessica started labor that night. And it was a blizzard.   Our midwife didn't make the birth. And then Pierce is born on the morning of the 11th, which is the same morning that Jada and I were supposed to go back in now to have more MRIs, more blood work to determine had the cancer metastasized throughout her whole body instead of just in that one tumor. And it was assumed that it had and so, that's why they were checking everything.   And so, it was an urgent, you need to get there for this. I just kind of felt like the one question, one of two questions I was asking, but one of them was with conversation with the Lord was when will you relent? Won't you just relent?   So, I was never like struggling in my faith to the degree that I was going to toss it, but I was angry with God. I was like, come on, like, how does this work? Can you give, throw me a bone, basically.   So, that was one conversation. But the conversation that's most poignant is after he started to frame those things up a little bit and give more of a trellis to build on. I remember treatment had begun, which timeline, if you're looking at it, the 11th is when Pierce is born.   The 13th is when Jada started treatment. So, from like the 13th to the 18th, she had radiation. And then after that, for the rest of the year, eight months, whatever, she had chemo.   I remember one morning I never slept at the hospital. It was just not comfortable. It was always beeping, stuff like that.   So, I would often go down to the playroom. There's an activity room at the end of the hall on the sixth floor there at OSF. And I'd be down there with a lackluster cup of coffee and my Bible and journal.   And I'd watch the sunrise over the city of Peoria. And it would just be kind of like; I really couldn't hardly read. It would be more of me just like, because no one was awake.   That was the only time when it was semi quiet. And I would just have these out loud conversations with the Lord. Like, what's happening?   And the conversation, the question that I kept asking was, Lord, how in the world are we going to do this? How in the world are we going to make it through? That's really when he began to kind of press back in.   And I'm not, I don't know how to explain this, but more of a, I had a very tangible sense that as I'm sitting there on the sixth floor, that he was almost in the chair next to me. And he's just, he's like, okay, tell me more about your struggle. What's it like?   Help me to understand the pain of your heart. And so, I'm, I'm unloading these things to Him. And all of a sudden I noticed the time and it's like, oh, Jada is going to be waking up soon.   I need to get back there before they do rounds, you know, and the whole dance starts again. And so, I kind of like, oh, I want to return. It's like when you wake up from a dream and you're like, oh no, I want to finish the dream.   And you try to go back to sleep quickly. That's a little bit of how that conversation was working out. And I remember going back to the room and jotting a few more things down in my journal.   And then after that it goes, okay. The day was now full of motion. And I had forgotten about the conversation quite honestly.   And until that evening, I was like, okay, I'm just gonna, I told Jada, I'm like, “Honey, I'm going to run home real quick and shower, get a change of clothes and maybe get some real food. And then I'll be back. Okay.”   Don't worry. And so, I hopped in my car, I turned on my headlights, and I got out of the parking garage, and I got on 74. And right as I was getting on the bridge to cross over the Illinois to go back toward Tremont, it was, I mean, I don't know how people feel about this.   So, sorry if I start a theological controversy on your podcast, but, um, I, as I'm sitting there as audible as you and I talking back and forth, there's this sense of my spirit of like, you asked how you're going to get through Christ community and confession. But there was really beyond that, there was really no discussion. You know, it was more just like those three words got tossed out.   And so, I remember driving down the highway and almost like, uh, you're in a zone where it's like, you see the headlights, you know, going like right past you and, and nothing is distracting to me. And I remember thinking some of those things made sense to me, like, you know, yes, Christ suffered. Yes.   I need community around me, things like that. But confession was the one that I struggled with the most. Like what do you mean by that?   You know, because I had a courtroom idea of confession, like, okay, I got caught doing something I shouldn't have. I need to confess. What I did was wrong.   And there definitely is that element. But I came to learn later that confession is the Hebrew word. One of the Hebrew words for it actually means praise.   And so, there's this, there's this idea of caught up, being caught up in understanding the presence of God and you're confessing. It's the word that actually, more accurately, fits is declaration. And so, I'm like, oh, wow.   Okay. So, what you're saying then is these scriptures that I've been studying for years now, I I'm actually, it's about declaring them in praise over my life, over my circumstances, over my daughter as a way of help to get us through. Okay.   Laura Dugger: (45:51 - 47:09) By now, I hope you've checked out our updated website, thesavvysauce.com so that you can have access to all the additional freebies we are offering, including all of our previous articles and all of our previous episodes, which now include transcriptions. You will be equipped to have your own practical chats for intentional living. When you read all the recommended questions in the articles or gain insight from expert guests and past episodes, as you read through the transcriptions, because many people have shared with us that they want to take notes on previous episodes, or maybe their spouse prefers to read our conversations rather than listen to them.   We heard all of that and we now have provided transcripts for all our episodes. Just visit thesavvysauce.com. All of this is conveniently located under the tab show notes on our website.   Happy reading. And I just want to go back to something that you said, because you use the word relent. God, how long until you relent?   And yet he flipped that word and taught you that he will relentlessly continue to pursue you with his presence.   Doug Rumbold: (47:10 - 49:26) I'm glad that you draw that out because I think the relentless pursuit is in that question of when will you relent? It was one of our darker moments, even in marriage where my wife and I were both stretched to the max, totally thin and struggling. And it was an argument, you know, where I'm lying on the ground after my wife and I had just kind of like, I need you to take care of this.   And she's asking me to take care of something I'm not wanting to, and I'm holding my ground and I'm tired. She's tired. And aren't your best moments between midnight and 7am anyway?   And so, I remember laying on the ground. That moment was laying on the ground at the foot of my son's crib in our bedroom. And he was not sleeping.   He's a newborn. Newborns don't sleep easily. And I remember pounding the ground and actually saying, you know, when, when will you relent God?   Like when will you let up? And to see the connection between my question was the assumption that God had left the building that God had kind of punched the clock. Okay.   I'll be back by five. You know, like when instead, the way that He wants to communicate His presence to me in my suffering shows that He's relentlessly digging through every bit of self-reliance that I've set up to try to manufacture outcomes. And so, there, there's a way that His relentless presence is like, like waves on a shore one after the other, the rhythmic nature of it, the dependable nature of it, you can't stop it.   Nature of it is the way that He can and will use any circumstance trial in your life to communicate His presence to you. So, yeah, that's right. Its relenting is a releasing and letting go, but relentless pursuit is also this like dogged pursuit of us.   it's been said before that, that God or Christ is the hound of heaven, you know, like a blood hound with your scent who won't give up until He finds you. And so, similar to our experience for sure.   Laura Dugger: (49:27 - 50:00) Well, and you go into these stories and then also offer hope and offer so much scripture where you have poured over to help us make sense of suffering. And even see things where it's a very upside-down economy as God often has, where there's blessing in the affliction, but yet to close the loop on this story. Can you give us a picture of where your family is at today? Even the ages of your children and Jada's status?   Doug Rumbold: (50:01 - 52:27) Yeah, for sure. So, it's been a long journey for sure. Jada now is 18 and we are in preparation for her.   She is going to be going to Arizona Christian University in the fall. So, a nice short 24-hour drive away. And so, again, we're learning afresh what it looks like to lay down our children, but we're super excited about it.   We are super excited about the new friends she'll make. My wife and I have always said Jada is a spread your wings and fly sort of girl and cancer only proved that. So, we're super excited about that for her.   Our son, Oliver, who was two at the time, is now 14 where he's a freshman. He turns 15 this summer and I'm sure we'll be driving soon after. No concerns there.   And then my son, Pierce, is in sixth grade. And yeah, they all have their own interest's kind of across the board. Jada loves music and singing and playing piano.    Oliver is relationally. He's just this guy who enjoys mature conversation. So, like when we get together with our life group, you'll find him talking to the adult men just because he fits there. He's more of an old soul.   Pierce is our creative kid. He's always doing trick shots. And I mean, it's pretty crazy the stuff that he does. He's kind of fun like that and loves fishing and things of this nature.    So, yeah, all of my kids are very interesting and different like that. My wife is doing homeschooling for the boys, and she continues to be somebody who is a silent influencer in the lives of many, usually and primarily through prayer.   But I am amazed at how often the Lord uses her in the lives of other people to bring about change and transformation. She's just an excellent gifted counselor of people with the word of God and prayer. So, that's kind of where our family's at.   I've been at the time that Jada was ill, I was the youth pastor at Northfield and I'm still at Northfield though. I'm in a different role. I'm pastor of counseling and discipleship here at Northfield.   So, I have never left this community. So, I'm trying to think if there's anything else update wise. I don't think so.   I think it's pretty much it.   Laura Dugger: (52:27 - 52:30) And so, Jada is in remission.   Doug Rumbold: (52:30 - 55:11) Yes. She did have one other occurrence where she started having really acute headaches in 2013. Then, those acute headaches turned into taking her back for a checkup and the checkup revealed a lesion on her frontal lobe. So, a brain tumor.   We had to wait eight weeks to scan again. Those eight weeks were the hardest and worst that I think we've faced even from the first cancer. It was like, “Oh my goodness, we're going to have to go through this again.”   And then we had this season of waiting, you know, the eight weeks and then she was going back in for another scan to determine scope and growth. Also, you know, what type of craniotomy or brain surgery they were going to perform, to address it or whether it was going to be treated medically. Or how was that going to happen? And so, that all took place. Then, they did the scan, and we had to wait.   Normally we would have these scans, and it would be like a four-to-eight-hour turnaround. And you know that same day or even the next day we get a call from the St. Jude office, and they would say all clear. This one went one day, that was two days.   And I called and they said, “Oh, well, you know, the doctor will call you.” And I'm like, “Come on Beth.” You know, she was the head nurse that I've had relationship with for a while.   And she's like, “No, you know, the doctor will tell you.” And I'm like, “That's never good.” And come to find out, we had to wait until the end of that week.   So, it was not one day, not two days, not three days, not four days, but five. So, it went from Monday to Friday. And on Friday, the doctor called me after hours.   And I thought for sure it was, you know, here we go treatment time. And, um, she called back and said, the reason it's taken so long is because I had to have conference calls with, uh, Memphis, DC, LA, all these different cancer centers and looking at the imaging together. But when, when we laid the last image that shows the lesion over the newest one, the newest one shows nothing like it's completely gone.   And she goes, and it's definitely here. It's definitely something that requires intervention. And now it doesn't.   And so, she goes, I just wanted to confirm the anomaly. I'm like, that's not an anomaly. That's a healing.   And so, uh, Jada has been in remission, ever since. So, she's been, she's been doing good. In fact, her last cancer follow-up appointment was like three weeks ago and got the all clear.   So, praise God.   Laura Dugger: (55:11 - 55:44) Praise God. What an awesome, miraculous healing. I'm so thankful you shared that and really Doug with your unique career that you're in and the journey that you and Jess have been through and your love of scripture, you're putting all of this together and it really is such a gift, this book that you've written.   So, can you tell us just a little bit more of who this book is for and what people could expect to find when they read it?   Doug Rumbold: (55:45 - 57:54) Yeah. So, the book is for anyone because, and you would know this as well, but you're either heading into a trial, you're in the middle of a trial or you're on the backside of a trial. And there's never a moment in which you can say, “Oh, okay, well now I've learned and now I've arrived and now we're good.”   I do think that the preparation of our heart for trial is critical because it's going to come like we are going to face suffering of some form at some point. And so, it's good to know how to approach it. It's for anybody who wants to learn and grow and be encouraged.   But specifically, one of the things that I struggled with during our trial, and it's ongoing, you know, because of some of the stuff that we mentioned before ongoing health issues in our family and stuff like that. But I, what I found was people would be like, “Oh, here's a book.” It's only 320 pages on suffering.   I'm like, really? Thanks for that. I've got no capacity to do that.   So, I purposely wanted to write a book that you could personally sit and read like in an afternoon. It's so, it's short. It's like, you know, a hundred pages and it's digestible.   So, you could jump from one chapter to the eighth chapter if you wanted, and you would, you would still hopefully gain something. So, I wanted to make it uniquely accessible and heart focused. So, you'll find kind of like throughout the chapters, I have these like, so, truth to life.   And what I'm basically doing is trying to say, “Okay, we talked about something at a 30,000-foot view. What does it look like boots on the ground here?” I don't usually just spell it out for you.   I usually ask questions that are going to force you to address heart issues because scripture is pretty clear that all of our conduct flows from a heart that's filled with good or bad. So, people can expect to be challenged. They can expect to not have something that's too long and too hard to read, but they can also expect to find it kind of built around story a little bit.   That's one of the reasons why I use those different stories from scripture. I think we relate well and explain things well in a story.   Laura Dugger: (57:55 - 58:14) Definitely agree. We learn so much from Jesus's stories. Those stick with us and yours do too.   So, thank you for sharing all of those today. And if anyone desires more help and healing after today's conversation, where would you direct them?   Doug Rumbold: (58:15 - 59:59) The first thing that I would do is just encourage prayer. The idea of silence and solitude is where you can be begun to become aware of the healing that you may need and being able to just journal it down and have it right in front of you. That is probably one of the first steps.   Second thing I would say is to lean into community. COVID has kind of wrecked things in some ways where some people have gotten used to this idea of either online attendance or whatever. Nothing, nothing, nothing replaces the body of Christ in the tangible way.   And so, the idea of being with and around other like-minded believers is critical. But in terms of myself, the book that I wrote, it's available on Walmart, Amazon, Barnes and Noble. You can just search Presence Over Pain in a search engine and find it pretty easily.   I am currently in the works of working through like an audio version of it because some people prefer that. So, that will be forthcoming. You can find me on Facebook or Instagram.   I provide biblical counseling in person or virtually so, people can contact me through those platforms if they want to have a conversation. And the cool thing is those things happen. There's a number of different connections that God has made where people have either read the book or they know someone who read the book and my name was recommended and here I am a couple of months later having a conversation with someone who found me online.   And I love technology for that purpose. How can we come together and build around something in Christ? It's pretty awesome.   Laura Dugger: (59:59 - 1:00:31) That is awesome. And we will certainly add all of those links in the show notes for today's episode. In addition to the link to your own podcast where you dig a little bit deeper into the book.   And the name of that is also Presence Over Pain podcast. And Doug, you know that our podcast is called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, what is your Savvy Sauce?   Doug Rumbold: (1:00:32 - 1:04:48) I love the question because practical is helpful. So, I think probably just some brief stories and then a couple of suggestions. So, I remember when I was younger, all seven of us children kind of growing up in the same house.   My dad had such a passion for us to know the word of God that he wanted us to all like sit down at the same time. And he was going to read a chapter of Proverbs. Well, can you imagine seven kids on a Tuesday morning trying to get ready for school?   And then your father saying, “Okay, everybody sit down.” Like nobody's going to be able to do that. And so, after a few failed attempts, what my dad did was he would, he would have a section that he was going to read, and he would start with the oldest child, and he would follow them around literally like follow them.   And he would just, he would read the word of God to them and then he would move to the next one and to the next one and to the next one and the next one. And I have memories of like even walking out the door, going to get on the bus and my dad following me right up to the door, reading the last bit of Proverbs to us. And so, practically speaking, you really cannot underestimate the value of intentionally diving into God's word daily personally.   Like don't let somebody else do it for you. It's so, personal. It's so, needed.   And just when you feel like it's not going to matter, the fruit of it will come forth. So, that's, that's one. And then the other story that kind of points to a practical reality is my wife grew up through her parents splitting up when she was, I think, second or third grade.   And just the difficulty of that, like the life of a single mom as she and her sister watched her mom go through that. But Jessica tells a story often of like not understanding and now understanding, but like she would knock on her mom's door and she would hear her mom crying and she would, she'd open the door and her mom would be face down on the floor, just, just praying and weeping. And she's like, hold on, honey.   Mommy just needs to be with Jesus. And it communicated this idea. And my wife has carried this on in our own family and in her practice of just like prayer and particularly prayers of lament are huge.   And so, practically speaking, what's that look like? I mean, I have an exercise. I'm sure you are being a counselor by nature would, would appreciate this.   But one of the things that you can do to learn how to lament is to look at a good number of the Psalms are lament Psalms. Like they're sad Psalms. Like Lord, my life stinks.   The wheels have fallen off and you're nowhere to be found. So, being honest with God is critical, but a simple assignment would be to read a lament Psalm, like Psalm 13 or Psalm 88 or Psalm 77, Psalm 42, any of those. And then as you read that Psalm, just the simple assignment is to like write your own Psalm of lament and then read it back to the Lord. You know, Lord, I felt like you were absent when my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, but I am going to trust in your unfailing love.   Like you see those pictures all throughout the Psalm. So, that's a practical, simple way to engage God. I think the last thing that I would say in terms of practical is the idea of rest from a perspective, you know, biblically it's called Sabbath.   Do you have a 24-hour period of rest? Because what you do when you Sabbath is you say something to God and to everyone else. It doesn't depend on me.   When I choose to rest, I'm choosing not to be productive. I'm choosing not to perform. I'm choosing only to receive.   I'm choosing to rest. I'm choosing to fall back into his arms. Rhythmically reminding ourselves of that for me, the way that that works out is like, you know, I'm a pastor.   So, Sundays are a workday. So, once I get home after Sunday until like noon, the following day is the time when it's like, okay, this is where I'm not going to be on my screen. I'm going to take a walk with the family.   We're going to have dinner together. Things that are filling and receiving are critically helpful. And I would say savvy.   Laura Dugger: (1:04:49 - 1:05:08) That's so good. And Doug, Mark and I are just so grateful to know you and Jess. We learn from both of you, and we've learned from your stories. They've been so impactful today.   So, thank you for writing this resource and thank you for being my guest today.   Doug Rumbold: (1:05:09 - 1:05:11) It was a total pleasure. Thank you for having me on.   Laura Dugger: (1:05:12 - 1:08:54) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.   If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to im

What does it mean to play sports for the glory of God? How do you keep someone from tying their identity to their success in sports? And why do parents sometimes have a greater interest in their child's success in sports than the child himself/herself? We'll answer these questions and more with our guest, our Talbot colleague in theology, Dr. Erik Thoennes. Erik Thoennes is committed to teaching theology so that he and his students love God and people more fully. He strives to make the necessary connections between the study of theology, obedience to Jesus and fulfilling the Great Commission. He has been teaching college students for over 30 years and has been a pastor at Grace Evangelical Free Church La Mirada since 2001. Erik is a frequent guest speaker at churches, conferences and retreats. He received the University award for faculty excellence and professor of the year twice. His research interests include godly jealousy, the atonement, the exclusivity of Christ and theology of culture, sport/play/competition, and humor. ==========Think Biblically: Conversations on Faith and Culture is a podcast from Talbot School of Theology at Biola University, which offers degrees both online and on campus in Southern California. Find all episodes of Think Biblically at: https://www.biola.edu/think-biblically. Watch video episodes at: https://bit.ly/think-biblically-video. To submit comments, ask questions, or make suggestions on issues you'd like us to cover or guests you'd like us to have on the podcast, email us at thinkbiblically@biola.edu.